Through the EU's trade policy, the European Commission aims to secure prosperity, solidarity and security in Europe and around the globe.

The EU promotes world trade and development, thereby boosting competitiveness, jobs and growth in the process. Concretely, the Commission negotiates trade agreements with different countries or groups of countries, ensuring that the rules agreed upon are actually applied, and works closely with the WTO and other global institutions. The aim is to meet the challenges posed by globalisation and to ensure that as many people as possible can seize the opportunities it offers.

A review of the European Neighbourhood Policy resulted in the Neighbourhood Civil Society Facility. This Facility has helped civil society promote reform and public accountability among the EU’s neighbours to the East and South.